Merging Through Time
by Silverceil
Summary: Demons and humans have been mingling for centuries now, so much that full-fledged individuals of either species were now rare. It thus comes to a surprise when Sasuke finds an injured fox demon outside Konoha's gates. Pairing: Sasuke/Naruto
1. Unexpected Visit

**Author's Notes:** The story is set in my made-up demon-filled world, so a lot of things are different from the Naruto-verse. It's also my excuse for not remembering all of the details from the manga. Enjoy! :)

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Naruto nor all it's awesome characters.

**Title:** Merging Through Time

**By:** Silverceil

**Anime/Manga:** Naruto

**Rating:** T, but I might put it up to M (I'll warn you beforehand)

**Pairing:** Sasuke and Naruto

**Summary: **Demons and humans have been mingling for centuries now, so much that full-fledged individuals of either species were now rare. It thus comes to a surprise when Sasuke finds an injured fox demon outside Konoha's gates. Pairing: Sasuke/Naruto

P.S the summary was a little vague on what it meant by "fox demon", but you'll find out more as you read :)

* * *

**Merging Through Time**

By Silverceil

Chapter 1: Unexpected Visit

The Kyuubi was a demon known only through the lengthy tales told by ancient scrolls of the past. From the deep red-orange color of its pelt that burned with soft majestic flames to its nine graceful yet devastating tails, the massive fox demon was said to be a terrifyingly and enthralling sight to behold.

Often described as the strongest and most feared out of the nine titanic behemoths of legends, the Kyuubi seamed terror and respect from all with one simple look from its piercing crimson eyes. However, like many of the legendary tailed beasts, the Kyuubi disappeared after the worldwide war between humans and demons that occurred more than five centuries ago.

While the bloodshed brought along had eradicated more than one third of the world's population, the destruction eventually ended with the union of all the remaining human clans and demon species. With time, new countries and villages were formed and the world took its course once more.

Hence, after generations of merging, individuals who were purely demons or humans had become rare. While this enabled many positive interactions between the populations of the world, it also contributed to the disappearance of many traits from both species.

However, the most gravely affected were creatures such as the Kyuubi and the other tailed beasts who were born through a system similar to reincarnation. Seen as they had never been spotted again despite the continuation of various traditional practices, many believed that the human blood within the demon descendants had disabled their reappearance.

With the loss of their chiefs, tribes such as the foxes began to rely on a different system to chose their leaders and the position fell upon the one who distinguished itself as the most powerful. Unlike many heir-based clans, the vulpine were a relatively spread out species and had no main family, so a tournament would be held once a leader died or when a challenger appeared.

* * *

Jumping from branch to branch in the forests surrounding the village, Sasuke paused when he felt the tree wobble at the addition of his weight. He quirked an eyebrow at its weakness despite its size and glanced down, spotting a strange hole left in its trunk.

Carefully scaling down while keeping a stable chakra grip under his feet, the raven reached the ground and examined the hand-like hole that ripped through the surface of the wood. From the sheer size of it, he concluded that the person must have had abnormal strength, especially to have nearly taken out the whole tree with what seemed like an accidently brush by the position of the hand.

Looking closer into the shape of it, Sasuke frowned as he recognized the signs of sharp elongated nails, which eliminated many of the possible type of demons who might have caused it. He took a few more moments to scan his surroundings and feel for foreign chakra, but whoever had damaged the tree must have had a momentary lack of control, because he could not detect them.

Finally, he walked away from the large hole and leisurely rolled his shoulders before spreading his wings, letting the dark feathers flutter out of his back and into his peripheral vision. The wind had picked up a few hours into the night and Sasuke enjoyed the light breeze blowing against his wings. It had been a while since he flew, especially after the last mission he had been on. It hadn't been pleasant and remembering the incident, he dropped a hand to his ribs and slightly winced when he felt the flapping of his wings stretch at the sensitive skin.

However, he was on patrol and flying would be much easier than searching on the ground. Plus, he missed it. And so, with a little more effort than usual, Sasuke leaped into the air and soared into the sky. His black features gleamed blue under the moon's shine as his dark hair blended perfectly into the night. He felt the wind pick up again and softly brush against his skin, bringing a small smile to his lips.

As he rekindled with his love of flying, Sasuke scanned the forests floors below, looking for any signs of intrusion. There had been recent disappearances in Konoha that had the citizens quite frightened. Before the matter had grown in severity, it had started with a few shinobis never coming back from missions with their cases being mistaken for losses on the battlefield. However, with the kidnapping of a branch member of the Hyuuga family, general panic had ensued and security was tightened. Any suspicious people found within the vicinity that had no reasonable alibi was interrogated without mercy, for there was a highly popular suspicion that Orochimaru, a crazed scientist that had betrayed the village decades ago, was behind it all.

Having not spotted any unusual sights, Sasuke slowed his pace and gently landed on a nearby branch before a light rustling sound reached his ears. He quickly whipped out a kunai and threw it in the direction of the disturbance, immediately hearing the resonating sound of metal against metal.

"Dude! You almost stabbed me!" Kiba yelled and hurried out from behind a tree trunk with Sasuke's kunai in his hand. "You knew it was me!" he then whined and got a smug smirk in return.

"Hn, missed," Sasuke grunted and caught his kunai when the other threw it back. He then stashed the weapon back into his pouch before jumping over to the dog demon's tree.

Kiba growled at the raven for a second, but stopped when he saw the other coming over. His long tail began wagging and his dark triangular ears perked up at the attention.

Sasuke refrained from rolling his eyes at the pleased expression on his patrol partner's face when Kiba's features suddenly turned serious. A second later, a massive amount of power pulsed through the trees and rattled the branches, unbalancing the two ninjas as they quickly strengthened their chakra holds.

Kiba immediately sniffed the air and stilled.

"I smell a coming of age," he whispered and Sasuke narrowed his eyes.

It was a common stage of a person's life to go through their first full-body transformation at the age of sixteen. Not all demons underwent the process due to the different changes human blood brought to different species, but it was nonetheless quite widespread. However, they were always supervised and no Konoha citizen came into the forests outside the village for their coming of age.

Suddenly, a second pulse of pure chakra swept through the trees and a few weaker ones cracked at the pressure and crashed into the ground. Sasuke quickly spread his wings and grabbed the dog demon before a nearby trunk fell into their previous spot and caused the other plant to break and drop along with it.

Deafening collisions sounded through the once quiet forest as the large trees collapsed onto the ground. Luckily enough, it was quite late at night and no citizens were out travelling along the roads below.

Hanging on for dear life to the raven's arm, Kiba held his breath when a third and more powerful blow hit the forest and rattled the land. He noted that it must have been strong enough to affect the village itself, which was quite a while away.

Meanwhile, Sasuke kept gliding through the air and slowly approaching the source of the energy outbursts. He wanted to identify the cause of the disruption in order to determine the amount of backup necessary to resolve the situation.

Just as they passed by rows of destroyed rumble, Kiba's sensitive nose picked up on a distinct scent and his tail twitched as he immediately recognized it.

"A fox!" he gasped in surprise and the raven paused.

"Only one?" Sasuke muttered in disbelief and at Kiba's frantic nod, his worries increased.

His first thought when the first power pulse had hit was to expect an attack, but the coming of age had thrown him off. Then his mind wandered to Orochimaru and the snake's sick experimentations, which was what he still suspected at the moment. And it seemed that the man had somehow managed to unleash not an army, but something much worse: a single experiment with the power of a natural disaster.

Beside him, he felt Kiba tighten his hold and tremble at the fourth destructive pulse that ravaged the land. Some time along the second or third burst, the wind had become wild and was now blowing through the trees with the force of a massive storm. Luckily, there was no rain to block his vision, but the raven was beginning to have a hard time keeping his flight steady.

"L-Let's head back," the dog pleaded with him and pulled on his sleeve. At that, Sasuke faltered in his moves and frowned.

On one hand, he wanted to see the overpowered fox that had most likely been stripped of his control by the crazed snake, but on the other, he knew that the best course of action was to quickly get help. And so, being the reasonable ANBU he was, Sasuke swiftly changed his course and head at top speed towards Hokage tower.

The two of them glided through the air, pushed forward by the blowing wind and the occasional power pulses that could even be felt up high in the sky. The village was still a while away, but it was at a precise moment when both ninjas glanced down at the ground that they spot a speck of red and that everything went wrong.

Out of nowhere, a disorienting burst of pure energy rammed into them. Everything blanked out and all they could feel was the calm rushing of the air against their skin and a sinking sensation that pulled them towards the ground. In their minds, it lasted for a while and they were suspended in nothingness before Sasuke suddenly felt something hard slam into his back.

He choked on air as he gasped at the pain rushing down his spine and quickly understood what had happened: they had just fallen three hundred feet from the sky. His wings had cushioned most of the fall, but the pain was so great that he was going numb all over, but was still much too aware of the superficial scrapes along his back.

He knew, in his mind, that he must have broken his wings, but as a demon, he was also aware that despite the gravity of the fall, he would be fine. After all, if there was one thing all shinobi could do, it was estimate how much they could take before they died.

And so, with great difficulty, Sasuke pulled himself up into a sitting position before pushing Kiba off of himself. The dog demon was slightly scratched up, but it was clear that he had taken most of the blow. The latter grunted as he rolled off the raven and onto the ground before his eyes quickly snapped open.

"W-What the…" he muttered and sat up, feeling a little dizzy as he held a hand up to his head.

Sasuke couldn't wait for him to orient himself, however. Now that the raven knew he would definitely have difficulty heading back fast enough, he needed the dog to do that for him.

"Kiba," Sasuke managed to utter through the pain that kept coming back in waves. "Go first."

His tone was hard and Kiba knew better than to argue with Sasuke, especially seen the raven's state. Without his usual retorts, the dog gave the other a quick nod and stood.

"You'll be close behind?" Kiba nonetheless inquired and when the raven gave him a weak smirk, he took it as a yes.

He then turned towards the direction of the village and got on all fours. Within seconds, his body grew in size as thick brown fur covered his skin. Large claws replaced his hands and his pupils shifted from deep onyx to gold. Before long, where a human-like ninja once stood was now a large dark-furred dog with intimidating canines poking out from his gums.

Unlike Kiba, Sasuke's raven demon genes, like all the other Uchihas, did not merge as well with their human sides as the Inuzuka. Hence, the Uchihas did not go through full body transformations during their coming of age ceremonies, but did have access to raven characteristics such as their powerful wings and claws.

Sasuke watched Kiba's change with a tinge of awe when the air suddenly changed and he felt a horrible chill run down his bruised spine. The area became unbearably warm and every part of him screamed for him to move and fly away. Too bad for him, his wings were not capable of it at the moment, but even his rational mind told him that running and listening to his instincts would be good if only he could move.

In front of him, Kiba growled and shrunk back towards him. The large dog stood before him, as if shielding him from the unknown danger, yet still he could see the slight tremble running through his friend's limbs. Kiba knew Sasuke wouldn't be able to fight well and was purposely staying behind.

The tense moment slowly passed, but the tension only grew higher as the suffocating heat kept rising in temperature. The warmth and humidity of the area soon began to distort their visions and choke them, but it could not hide the ephemeral crimson glow of two orbs shining through the darkness ahead.

With what seemed like an eternity of suspense in their minds, a tall form slowly emerged from the forest above. The first sight they caught was bright blond spikes falling in disarray on top of a handsome yet sickly pale face adorned with six vertical whisker marks. Had the moment been less dire, Sasuke might have appreciated the half-ripped attire the stranger wore that resembled a hospital gown with the addition of ill-fitting pants.

Four imposing red-orange tails gracefully swept from side to side, ominously gliding through the trunks of large trees without a single pause. All around the blond was emptiness from the destruction left behind from his powerful strikes and strangely enough, Sasuke had gotten used to the once deafening sounds of crashing vegetation that kept playing without any active listeners.

All around the fox were crimson flames that burned brightly with pure energy. His hands had already morphed into large claws and Sasuke noted that the man, like Kiba, was crouching low on all fours. Sharp canines protruded from his lips, along with soft growls that sounded threatening despite their small volume.

However, as Sasuke stared at the frightening yet enthralling sight before him, he could only feel an eerie calmness wash over him and numb the remaining reason he possessed. Time kept crawling forward, but close to no thoughts could run through his head other than the turmoil of emotions that clashed his mind into nothingness.

Suddenly, a low growl caught his attention and his eyes widened at the striking position Kiba had adopted. Sasuke immediately knew he had to stop him and quickly leaped forward with all his might to halt his friend despite the pain.

However, Kiba was faster and pounced before the raven could reach him or yell at him to stop. It was over before it began and with a simple sweep of one of his tails, the blond sent the dog flying through the woods and crashing far away into the darkness.

* * *

**A/N:** Suspense! *drumroll and other virtual percussions* :D

Naruto's Kyuubi form (as you might have guessed this was) is very different from the manga because the blond _is_ the demon...and also because I don't really remember much of the manga (the perks of AR stories!).

If you want to suggest any canon changes or anything really, I'd love to hear from you. I'll make the alterations as long as they go with my plot and if it's not too troublesome (I'm a little like Shikamaru here…mostly because I have the whole outline written out and changing too much will give me a headache).

**Other than that, your awesome feedbacks convert into motivation and fuel my ability to pump out new chapters for you. Hence, please review and tell me what you think! :)**


	2. A New Identity

Chapter 2: A New Identity

Sasuke watched in horror as Kiba's body disappeared into the abyss that was the deep woods ahead. No crashes could be heard, but the raven knew that the dog must have landed by now and most likely very far away.

The blond's growling increased in volume and the Uchiha quickly turned his attention back to the fox. Behind the demon, a hint of a fifth tail began to grow as the crimson glow surrounding the latter intensified in color and warmth. The creature's claws dug deeper into the ground as if trying to find control and the rocks under his palms crumbled into sand.

The situation was becoming dire for the raven, but Sasuke knew that he would never be able to outrun the beast. Not in the state he was in. Another part of his mind also struggled to understand why he was still alive and why the fox was not attacking.

From all he knew, the demon had been the sole source of the massive destruction around and yet, gleaming through his deep crimson eyes, was a desperate look of loss and confusion. The vertical whisker marks marring his cheeks had darkened and thickened into his skin and his sharp ears had grown in size, but the fox kept in place, shaking in his efforts to restrain his urges.

There was a tinge of hope blooming somewhere in Sasuke's mind with every second that passed, but he could tell that it would not last. Already, the fifth tail had grown to half the size of the others and the blond's strong canines had elongated to frightening lengths. A near tangible sense of fear had begun bubbling into the raven's system, but he forced the emotion down with all the Uchiha pride he possessed. There was no time for it and he would not allow himself to succumb.

With some effort due to his injuries, he activated his sharingans and squinted when his vision was assaulted with waves of crimson chakra. Through it all, it was the first time he'd taken notice of the wide gash running along the blond's left side. The long wound resembled one received through the use of katanas and looked deep enough to kill.

Through all the red glowing around the fox, Sasuke had missed the pain etched into the demon's features, but now he finally understood. The blond was most likely one of Orochimaru's experiments and had tried to escape, resulting in his current state. Unfortunately for everyone, however, he seemed close to losing all control and Sasuke just happened to be in his path.

Just as the blond's pupils constricted into thinner stripes, a loud rubbling suddenly shook the forest and a large clay cage sprung from the ground, imprisoning the fox within it.

The next events went by as fast as a blur and within the few seconds after the fox destroyed the cage and a new one was made to bind him, a large group of ANBU masked shinobi had appeared all around the field. Leading them was the lone unmasked man whom the raven recognized as the leader of the foxes: Asuma Sarutobi.

Inside the multiple layers of clay bindings and metal shackles, the fox roared in anger, emitting large bursts of destructive chakra that crashed through the remaining trees and rocks. The land shook with his temper and his tails wildly trashed into anything within contact.

All around him, the ANBUs held onto their stances with strengthened chakra holds and quickly surrounded the raging fox despite the shaking bonds that barely held him in place. Cracks riddled the whole structure roughly build around the blond, but it stubbornly held on.

Sasuke's view of the scene began to be obstructed by the several ANBU members that had gathered in front of him, but from the distance between two adjacent bodies, he witnessed the Sarutobi fox efficiently run through multiple seals with his hands. Beside him, a circle of shinobi jot down as fast as they could some of the most complex seals Sasuke had ever laid eyes upon.

With his sharingans still active, he could make out some of the simpler seals, such as the sign for dog, which was commonly used for protection.

Before long, a gold-shaded light began to glow around the drawn out symbols and Asuma came to a halt with his hand seals. He whispered a few words that escaped the Uchiha's scope, but as the last syllables left the man's lips, the seals written on the ground suddenly stretched out from the floor and into the air.

The golden symbols flowed into the sky like a long string of chakra and slowly wrapped around every one of the blond's limbs, restraining his movements to the bare minimum. The fox growled and roared, trashing harder than ever in his crumbling cage before the crimson glow left his eyes and he collapsed onto the ground, unconscious.

All the shinobis took a collective breath of relief when the four tails and a half began to shrink and disappear, along with the blond's large claws and canines. The burning glow surrounding his body deemed into nothingness and finally, his ears morphed back into their usual size.

From the corner of his eyes, Sasuke could see another ANBU ninja coming out of the woods, holding an unconscious Kiba over his shoulders and hoped his friend would be waking up soon. He then let his eyes flutter close and fell into a deep slumber.

* * *

Naruto felt a familiar heat warm his face and body, relaxing his tight muscles as he sank deeper into a strange softness. He couldn't remember the last time he'd felt as comfortable and enjoyed the distinct lack of cold surfaces beneath his tired back.

He had no idea where he was and could not see anything beyond the bright nothingness that surrounded him. Nonetheless, somewhere in his mind, he knew that he was sleeping or at least unconscious, but didn't mind staying like that for just a few moments more.

Life, however, never quite worked that way and he slowly began feeling a wrenching soreness gnarl into his limbs, as if reawakening after a long slumber. A large area across his left side began to burn at where his skin made contact with a rough surface he could not identify.

His senses were coming back to him and with them, the smell of antiseptic that immediately hit his nose and made him cringe. Past his closed eyelids, he could already feel a disconcerting brightness seeping in and frowned at the feeling. But it wasn't until he could distinctly hear the rustling of clothes and the clink of weapons hitting against other surfaces that it registered in his mind that he was not home.

Sitting next to the mysterious blond's bed, Sasuke tried not to lean into the seat's back, for he was still recovering from the injuries he'd suffered a few days prior. His wings were safely tucked away, but he knew he wouldn't be flying for at least a week or two. He'd broken more than a few bones and, additionally to the rib injury sustained during his last mission, he was in no shape to carry out any sort of shinobi work.

Thus, with nothing better to do and having been recently discharged from his own hospital room, he'd decided to come pay the handsome fox demon a visit. Asuma, who was on constant guard duty inside the closed room, was a little hesitant to let him in, but reluctantly agreed when the Uchiha wouldn't back down.

In any case, the blond fox was no longer a threat and was highly restrained to his hospital bed with various fox-oriented jutsus found within their headquarter libraries. It had not been a quick job and many ANBU members had worked tirelessly on a strong enough seal, but with the help of their knowledge on fox chakra, they'd created a strong enough binding that they all assumed would be enough.

Still, having always been on the careful side, Asuma, along with a changing shift of fox ANBU, stood guard outside and inside the blond's room. Being fellow fox demons, they assumed that they might stand a better chance at keeping the stranger in place. After all, it was common knowledge that only a fox knew how to successfully bind another.

And so, sitting quietly near the blond's bed, Sasuke contemplated the unconscious man with a critical eye. He couldn't name what he'd felt when he had stared into the stranger's bright crimson eyes, but he did know that it hadn't left him indifferent. The turmoil of emotions running through the fox's gaze had captured his attention and he couldn't let it go, no matter how much he tried.

Taking a deep breath, he heaved a sigh and ran his tired fingers through his dark strands. He then glanced back down again and took in the peaceful look on the blond's whiskered face. The doctors had said that the fox would not be waking up any time soon due to his grave injuries, as well as the severe dehydration and malnutrition he was under. Wherever Orochimaru or whoever it was had kept him, they hadn't done a good job at keeping him healthy…or maybe they didn't care.

Of course, Sasuke knew that there was a high chance that his guess was wrong and that the blond was actually a spy from another village, but until the ANBU figured out the fox's origins, it would be the story he'd stick to. After all, he needed something to pass the time.

Suddenly, frantic beeping sounds tore through the room as the machines began going wild. Sasuke felt a nearby ANBU quickly drag him away from the patient before the walls began to rumble.

The raven never took his eyes off the blond fox and immediately took notice of his limbs slowly beginning to move. All around him, ninjas and nurses filed into the room and double checked the seals or verified the medical equipment. Nonetheless, the place kept shaking and it was only getting worse.

"He's waking up!" a nurse yelled over the noise of a flower vase crashing onto the floor. She then scurried her way towards the door, followed by the rest of the medical staff when Asuma gave them the sign.

"It's too early," Sasuke heard another mutter on her way out and just as the door was about to be closed, he snuck out of the way of a busy ANBU agent and remained inside the room. After all, despite his injured state, he could still fend for himself and he absolutely wanted to witness the blond's awakening.

Soon, the area had been sealed off and only the fox demons and the lone raven were left inside the near-empty room. The rumbling had already stopped and the machines were unplugged, for the noise had become unbearable to the demons' sensitive ears.

On the bed, the blond was shifting within the strong binds, but was not quite awake yet. Chakra restraints had been put in abundance on his person and despite the shaking he had caused, no permanent damage had been made on the place.

All around the room, the ANBU reached for their weapons or seals with batted breaths as they all waited for the inevitable struggle the blond would put up. Sasuke, for his part, stayed in his corner where he had a clear view of the fox's face, which was currently marred with a deep frown at the brow.

Without warning, a deafening ripping sound echoed through the room and one of the blond's arms had been freed. Asuma and the foxes quickly produced a long metallic chain in response and it wrapped around the limb, slamming it back into the bed.

A loud growl escaped the stranger's lips, but nothing more. He kept trashing around in the small hospital bed, but the multiple metallic binds sealed around his frame kept him in place. Within the next few minutes, the struggling had stopped and the room became eerily quiet.

The ANBU foxes were panting from their efforts at keep the seals grounded in their locations, but Sasuke did not focus on them. Instead, he kept his gaze on the blond's face and was soon rewarded with the brightest cerulean blue eyes he had ever witnessed.

Coincidentally, just as Naruto's lashes fluttered open, the first sight he had come to see was that of a familiar-looking raven-haired man with white bandages running across his shoulders. Through his dark gaze, the blond could make out hints of curiosity and couldn't help but wonder where he'd seen the man before.

'_Who is he?'_ he asked himself, momentarily forgetting the panic that had run through him at realizing his chained-up predicament. He knew he was getting distracted, but something simply told him that he'd met the raven before and fairly recently at that.

Concentrating hard, he could remember flashes of green, a crescent shaped moon and a large spread of the darkest and most enchanting wings he'd ever laid eyes upon. He could recall feeling lost, confused, hurt…he knew he had heard growls and the sound of crashing trees. But through it all, he had the image of this man's dark onyx eyes imprinted into his mind and it never left him.

"Who are you?" he finally croaked out, finding out the hard way just how dry his throat had become. His voice was deep and raspy from disuse and a rough cough wracked his frame when he opened his mouth to speak again.

Sasuke blinked when he noticed that the question was directed at him and a confused murmur spread across the room. The blond kept an unwavering gaze on him that secretly made him feel nervous, but Uchihas did not show such weak emotions. Instead, he squared his shoulders and walked out from the corner.

"Sasuke Uchiha," he answered and returned the other's gaze with the same intensity.

Naruto was too tired to register the name, but he knew he'd seen those eyes before. And just like that, it all came back to him: the lab, the chase and the deep dark woods. He had been imprisoned in Orochimaru's basement for who knew how long and had finally escaped.

"Where am I?" he asked and finally directed his gaze towards the whole room.

It was stark white, just like any other hospital room he had ever been in. However, it was filled with men and women with vulpine designed masks. Despite the intimidating scene, Naruto knew that, at any rate, he was no longer in Orochimaru's lab where sunlight would never be seeping through the small and clean windows.

Asuma, who had watched the short exchange in silence, stepped forward and put a hand up to stop his agents from tightening the seals. From the pained look pinching the blond's otherwise placid features, they had done an excellent job at keeping the bindings firm.

"You are in Konoha hospital," he told the young man and took note of the marginal widening of the latter's bright blue eyes. _'He didn't know,'_ he concluded from the subtle wonder etched into the fox's features and crossed his arms in thought.

Just then, the door slid open and everyone turned their attention towards the new arrivals. Near the frame, a rather short man wearing a triangular shaped hat and long red robes walked into the room, followed closely by ANBU guards with different designs marking their masks.

"Hokage-sama!" the agents in the room saluted and bowed as the old man made his way inside.

The Hokage had a pleasant smile on his lips and waved for them to relax their postures. As he did so, Asuma walked up to him and crouched down on one knee.

The aged man gazed down at the leader of the foxes and grinned. "I see the rumors were true," he began and Asuma looked up.

"Yes sir," he answered cordially. "The doctors had estimated a few more weeks, but the fox seems to have an unusually fast recovering rate."

The kage nodded and gestured for the man to stand up again. Asuma did so and made a sign for one of his agents to approach. Immediately, the ANBU holding an official scroll marched forward and bowed as he held the object up.

Taking it from the agent, the village leader unrolled the document and scanned through the report before clamping it close again. He then motioned for the ANBUs to leave and right away, they systematically filed out the room without a sound.

Before long, only Asuma and Sasuke were left behind along with the Hokage and the door was quietly shut behind them.

"Son," the old man turned his gaze towards Asuma once the ANBUs left. "Seal the room."

As soon as the words were said, the fox leader made the signs and what Sasuke recognized as a high-level security seal formed around the area in which they stood. Its effects would render all conversations taking place within the room inaccessible to anyone outside.

The Hokage then turned his attention to the quiet blond strapped to the hospital bed and closed the distance between them. When he stood slightly above the fox's head, Naruto averted his gaze out of respect.

"An uncanny resemblance," he heard an old raspy voice mutter and glanced back up at the aged face of Konoha's leader with confusion in his blue eyes. The latter stared down at him thoughtfully before smiling in a strangely reassuring way.

"Tell me boy, what is your name?" the Hokage finally asked him and the blond blinked at the question.

"N-Naruto, sir," he responded, frankly surprised the man wasn't more hostile. After all, he had just crashed more than half the woods outside his village and injured at least a few of his agents.

"No last name?"

The blond paused for a second before answering, mostly because he rarely used his family name. Being an orphan of unknown origins, no one really bothered giving him anything more than something to call him by until his recent adoption into his dear friend's family.

"Subaku," he finally replied and at the look of surprise and slight suspicion that crossed everyone's faces, he could immediately tell that Gaara had not yet been successful with reforming the peace between Konoha and Suna.

It a well-known fact that the Sand and Leaf did not exactly get along, but they were not enemies either. There was simply tension since the last Hokage's death, which had occurred shortly after the latter paid the previous Kazekage a visit with his family. No one had survived on the Leaf side and since then, relations were not good. Many Konoha citizens still blamed Suna for the Namikazes' deaths, but there was no proof and hence no incentive for war. They were still allies on paper, but were only linked by formalities such as the Chunin Exam.

As silence ensued after the blond's words, Sasuke wondered what a member of the Kazekage's family had been doing in the woods outside Konoha's gates so late at night and completely out of control. He wanted to ask, but since the Hokage seemed oddly satisfied with so little details, he kept quiet and listened on. After all, he still didn't know why he was allowed to stay along with them.

"I see," the older Sarutobi slowly nodded in some kind of comprehension and reached into his pocket for his pipe. "Now inform me about your presence here in Konoha," he continued and held the wooden smoking device out to Asuma. The latter snapped his fingers and lit the tobacco.

Naruto watched their smooth and silent coordination with slight awe, wondering whether that was how fathers and sons interacted. It looked strangely neat and the blond felt a little envious. But getting back to the matter at hand, he took some time to gather his thoughts before answering.

"I… was imprisoned in a lab for an undetermined amount of time," he began and Sasuke's eyes lit up in interest._ 'I was right!' _the Uchiha silently gloated in his mind, but kept his face neutral to the outside world.

"I don't know how I ended up near Konoha," Naruto finished rather lamely, but with honesty gleaming through his large blue orbs. He lift his hand towards the back of his head in his usual manner, only to remember his bound state when his arm stayed glued to the bed. For a brief moment, he glanced down at the mix of metallic and wooden chains wrapped around his body and wondered if it was all necessary.

Meanwhile, the Hokage puffed out some smoke and shared a look with his son before speaking again.

"I see," he grunted into his pipe. "Then am I right to assume that you've had previous experiences with a missing nin named Orochimaru?"

A look of disgust momentarily crossed Naruto's face at the mention of the snake's name, but it did not escape the shinobis in the room.

"Yes sir," the blond finally said in a firm voice.

Naruto had been surprised at first when the Hokage had brought up the crazed scientist, but then recalled that the snake had originated from Konoha. Surely, if there was one nation that despised his sick experimentations the most, it would be the Leaf.

Despite having lived his whole life in Suna, he knew more about Orochimaru than the average shinobi and was well aware that the old bastard had used his own ninjas to fuel his demented work. It was not a secret that he was wanted as an S-classed criminal all around the world.

As Naruto relived old memories, the Hokage watched him with a knowing smile. He then turned his head towards his son again and they came to an agreement through gaze telepathy alone, or so it seemed to the Uchiha.

Sasuke would never have been able to understand his father so well, even less stand to stare at the man for more than a few seconds. So how the Sarutobis always seemed to pass messages through furtive glances, he would never know. What he could tell, however, was that they had come to a decision and it most likely involved their blond visitor.

"Naruto," Sarutobi senior began and smiled wider at the curious look in the latter's eyes. "I have a proposition for you."

The blond stared at the Hokage for a second before grinning. "Anything's better than the interrogation room," he joked and Sasuke secretly wondered how much the stranger knew about that particular department.

The Hokage laughed at that and shook his head in amusement. "Oh no, not for you," he chuckled and then suddenly turned serious. "That is, if you accept our offer."

Naruto felt the change in atmosphere, but somehow knew that the man was not serious. Call it a natural talent, but he had always been good at gauging another person's emotions. It came in handy at most times, but had also caused him much pain during his childhood.

The Hokage waited for the blond to sober down before explaining.

"In exchange for your help in our search for Orochimaru, I will allow you contact with your family in a month's time," he paused to take a puff of his pipe. "Furthermore, you will be allowed to work on missions and access the grounds outside Konoha after two weeks of constant ANBU surveillance."

Naruto nodded as he listened to the man's words. He had honestly expected worse and while two weeks of probation did not seem fun, he didn't really mind. If it meant getting to speak to Gaara again in a while and hopefully improve Sand relations with Leaf through the elimination of a crazed snake, he was all for it.

Last he'd been in Suna, Gaara had a specific group of shinobi working on tracking down the missing nin. If he could somehow get the two villages to join forces, Naruto hoped that the damage done by the previous Kazekage between the two nations could possibly be mended. Not being one to drown himself in delusions, the blond had no doubts that the Sand could have had a hand in the Fourth's disappearance. He simply didn't know how, but he'd get to that one day.

Finally done with his inner ramblings, Naruto glanced up at the Hokage from his trapped position on the bed and grinned.

"Deal," he said before pausing and attempting to move his fingers, "though I'd love to be untied before we discuss any further."

He sent his best pleading stare up at the Hokage and the latter chuckled at his try. He then gave his son a look and Asuma sighed. The fox leader made a few signs and slowly, the chains began to unwrap themselves from Naruto's body and gradually dissolve into the ground.

The blond tried to sit up, but winced as the action stretched at his recovering wounds. Sasuke, who had been still the whole time, walked over and helped him up. The Uchiha reached over the fox's back and carefully heaved him up against his pillow before taking a seat beside him on the bed.

"Thanks," Naruto muttered at the raven and Sasuke grunted in response.

"Hn," was all he said, but the blond could tell that the Uchiha genuinely did appreciate the acknowledgment. It was all in his dark yet expressive eyes.

"Well," the Hokage interrupted the moment with a cough. "Since this matter is all well and agreed upon, we'll need a new name for you."

Naruto cocked his head to the side in his usual manner, but stopped halfway when he felt a sharp pain stab into his neck when he tried. Instead, he went with the subtle eyebrow quirking he'd seen Gaara attempt a million times.

The Hokage gave him a sympathetic look.

"You see, relations between Konoha and Suna are still fragile at the moment," he elaborated and Naruto nodded in understanding. "Hence, we'll be calling you Naruto Uzumaki from now on."

"Spiral?" the fox asked curiously and the old man shook his head.

"Whirlpool," he corrected and Naruto smiled. He rather liked that.

* * *

**A****/N: **Want more chapters? If so, leave me some feedback and spread the word! Thank you for reading thus far :)


	3. Planning Ahead

**Author's Notes: **I got injured and have been going through physiotherapy sessions lately. Coupled with work, I haven't really had the time or energy to write much. However, I'm finally ready to post this chapter, so I hope you like it. As usual, please leave me a comment and happy reading :)

Also, would anyone be interested in creating a cover page for this story? If so, PM me and if possible, send me a sample of your art just to give me an idea. If you'd like to make a cover for any of my other stories, please tell me too! Thanks in advance :D

* * *

Chapter 3: Planning Ahead

Sitting behind his large oak desk, the Hokage put down his pipe and shift his gaze towards the two ninjas standing in front of him. One of the two agents, a tall muscular man with a neatly trimmed beard, leaned against the nearby wall with his shoulders slightly slouched.

"The kid is not telling us everything," the man crossed his arms as he spoke up, his tone pensive. "I'm not sure we can trust him."

The village leader rest his chin on the palm of his hand in thought. "You are right," the old man idly replied after a while. "But everyone is entitled to their own secrets."

Asuma frowned at his father's leisurely tone, but kept quiet. The Hokage gave the other a small smile in return.

"He will be a great help to our cause," the older Sarutobi explained. "I do not want him to be uncomfortable here," he paused and gave the other fox a wry grin. "Of course, it will be your task to find out more on him during his probation time. I trust that you will uncover more than the basics."

Asuma's hazel eyes widened at the news and he bowed, "Yes sir."

The Hokage's smile grew in size before he turned his attention to the quiet raven beside his son. Sasuke straightened his back when he noticed the man's gaze shift to him.

"You must be wondering why your presence is required," the leader's tone held a hint of amusement.

"Yes sir," Sasuke answered with a bow.

The elder nodded and reached down to his drawer and pulled it open. "You have witnessed something quite rare, Uchiha-kun," the man took out a scroll and placed it on his desk. "Here are your instructions for an S-Class mission. Open it later."

The raven sharply nodded and accepted the scroll before placing it securely into his leg pouch. He kept his eyes respectfully down and waited for the village leader to continue.

"You see," the older man paused and chuckled. "There might be a new fox leader sometime soon."

Sasuke blinked in surprise and quickly glanced over at Asuma, who had his usual detached expression etched into his features. Confusion crept into his mind and thousands of questions began crowding his head, but he kept them to himself. The Hokage was not done talking.

"It is truly exceptional," the leader continued with a certain degree of awe in his voice, "but our guest might just be the first Kyuubi in over five centuries."

Sasuke's eyes widened at the news and he held back a gasp. The image of a growling auburn fox with an ethereal crimson glow immediately burned into his mind as he recalled the numerous swishing tails. How Sasuke had missed the connection baffled him, but he could clearly see it now. However, many questions were still puzzling him.

"Forgive me for interrupting," the raven began and the Hokage nodded his approval, "but I thought human blood was said to have made the power transfer impossible," he continued, always analytical to a fault. The case of the tailed beasts was one of the most perplexing mysteries in the world. Their devastating powers were reincarnated into different demons with every generation, but the workings behind it all had yet to be explained.

"It seems Naruto is an exception," the Hokage answered the still stunned raven. "We have analyzed him thoroughly and there is little doubt that he is indeed the wielder of the nine tails."

The elder let the knowledge sink in for a few moments more and watched as the Uchiha's initial surprise quickly hid behind his usual placid mask. In all the years he had worked with the raven, he had come to trust the man for his loyalty and efficiency. Sasuke was by far one of the best ANBU agents Konoha had to offer and he was internally glad that he had been the one to find the Kyuubi.

Nodding to himself, the Hokage stood up from his seat. Asuma swiftly walked over and pulled his chair back while the old man strode towards the room's large windows in thought. He peered outside into the sunlit streets of the village and watched the people make their way to various locations. It looked peaceful enough, but he only hoped that it would stay that way.

"Uchiha-kun," he finally spoke again and turned to face towards the raven. "I am appointing you as the lead ANBU guard over Naruto," he ordered and the agent immediately bowed in acceptance. "Everything mentioned during this meeting is to stay an S-Class secret between those involved. Naruto does not seem to know his condition or how valuable he is to Konoha and it is to be kept this way for now."

"Yes sir."

The Hokage smiled and dismissed the agent. Sasuke bowed and made his way out, leaving the two Sarutobis in the large windowed office. Once the Uchiha was out the door, Asuma straightened from his leaned position and eyed his father.

"Hokage-sama, will the subject be informed of his origins?" he asked with slight curiosity in his tone. "It might endear him to our cause."

The older Sarutobi shook his head. "All in due time," was his answer as he took out his pipe once more. "I am much more worried about the consequences of his imprisonment."

Asuma frowned in confusion. "Was his physical health not in normal ranges?"

The Hokage shook his head and turned his attention back to the window, his eyes gazing far away. "It was, but it says nothing about his chakra stability among other…worries."

* * *

Sasuke made his way home, which was situated a while away from the Uchiha compound. Itachi had taken up the position of clan leader a few years back and despite their father having less influence over their lives since then, Sasuke still kept his distance with the family. When he had finally come to age at sixteen, he had immediately rented a small apartment with the little money he'd saved up and moved out. Now, at twenty years old, the raven had managed to afford a larger home with his mission pays and lived a moderately comfortable life as a hunter-nin in the ANBU.

As he arrived, he automatically checked all the protective seals he'd put in place before walking inside. He then headed for his room and changed his clothes. From his leg pouch, he produced his S-class mission scroll and opened it. Inside, instructions for his two weeks guard duty over Naruto Uzumaki was written out in detail. He was to watch over the blond fox on a regular basis and organize an ANBU team to join him in the task.

Frowning in concentration as he went through the list of currently available agents, he scowled when he remembered that Kiba was still in the hospital. He'd always found the dog demon quite annoying on a good day, but after working with him for many years, he was slightly horrified to admit that the Inuzuka had grown on him. However, since his almost-friend, as he would call him, was still unconscious, he would have to rule him out.

Decision made, Sasuke summoned three messenger ravens and sent them out to agents Sai, Shikamaru Nara and Lee Rock. The four were probably some of the only people he could stand to a certain degree with the exception of Sai. The former Root ninja's odd behavior often irritated him, but the raven knew that the man was excellent with infiltration. He wanted his team well-rounded and only with the artist's addition would he have everything covered.

With the ANBU surveillance taken care of, Sasuke unrolled more of the mission scroll and read. The rest narrated some additional information on cautions to take in case the blond's Kyuubi traits emerged again, but it all summarized to the following words: run and call for help. It didn't really sit right with the Uchiha, but he did acknowledge the fact that his charge's unstable bursts of chakra did require assistance to alleviate. However, not liking to stand idly by as dangerous situations unravelled, he decided to research up on the Kyuubi when he found more time.

He then got to the final part of the scroll before pausing at the instructions written down. His dark eyes widened in surprise and he stood in place, slightly gaping at what he'd just read. It took him less than a few seconds to find his composure again, but he never would he have expected the news. _'He's going to live with me,'_ he paraphrased the instructions in his mind, still a little unbelieving of it all. He had wondered where the blond was going to stay, but had assumed that the village leader would have prepared the man an apartment. Instead, it seemed the newcomer would be sleeping in his guest room.

Of course, the Hokage only put it out as a request and specified that all of the fox's costs would be covered, but Sasuke had a suspicion that the old man was up to something. However, being a model ninja, he analyzed the situation and concluded that it would be advantageous to have his charge nearby. After all, it would only make his task much simpler if he could monitor the blond in the comfort of his own home.

The raven nodded at his reasoning and promptly sent the Hokage a positive reply using another summoned raven. He then walked out of his room and headed towards a nearby closet containing the bed sheets and blankets. He rarely used the guest room and would probably need to fix it up a little before he went to pick the blond up from the hospital the next day.

As he bent down to pick up the spare blankets from the shelves, he winced as it pulled at his injuries. Carefully manoeuvring to cause less pain, he tried again and took his time to bring them over to the room. In his mind, he suspected that the Hokage probably knew that his current task would give him time to recover. He had worked long enough for the leader for the latter to know how stubborn his pride could be. However, as much as he wanted to protest and prove that he was fit to work, he was somewhat grateful he was given a less taxing task. After all, he was reasonable enough to know it would do him good.

Once he was done draping the covers over the spare bed and organizing the guest room, he head towards the kitchen. It was time for supper and he had yet to decide what to eat. He opened the refrigerator and found a bottle of orange juice and a few tomatoes, but nothing else. As he took them out, he wondered whether his blond guest could cook and smirked when he imagined the blue-eyed fox make him homemade meals. It would beat restaurant food any day.

A knock was then heard against his door and Sasuke paused in his musings to sense the visitor's chakra signature. He immediately recognized it and reluctantly trudged towards the entrance. He still arrived at the door too quickly and sighed before opening it.

"Sasuke-kun!" a pink-haired woman smiled at him and held up a box filled with various meats and vegetables.

The raven stared at her for a few moments more and at her insistent stare, finally let her in with a prompt, "Hn."

As the woman sauntered in, the Uchiha heaved another sigh. _'At least she has food with her,'_ he thought and followed her into the kitchen. Once there, she placed the box down onto his counter and turned around to face him.

"I made you supper because I know you'd have either gotten something unhealthy or skipped it," she proudly pointed out and lifted her chin up as if to challenge him to prove her wrong.

Sasuke frowned at that and crossed his arms. "Sakura, tomatoes are healthy."

The girl rolled her eyes before walking across the kitchen to get the dishes. "Not when it's all you eat," she reprimanded and began setting the table.

Sasuke decided to stop arguing over his poor food choices and began helping out, all the while wondering when he had become so predictable. After a while, he gave up and began thinking about how much Sakura had changed in the recent years.

The pink-haired ninja used to be one of his most notorious fangirls, but after beginning a relationship with Lee, an overall nice guy who doubled as a hyperactive green stress reliever, she'd slowly changed for the better. Since then, she'd gained more confidence and had begun putting more effort in improving her skills. With the years, she eventually became an excellent medic-nin and was a constant face around Konoha's busy hospital. Sasuke would even reluctantly admit, under torture only, that she made a good almost-friend, second to Kiba, once she stopped fanning all over him. It made his life a lot easier too.

The raven poured them each a glass of orange juice and sat down at his small dinner table. In front of him, Sakura twirled her fingers through her pink locks and avoided all eye contact. Soon, she began biting her lower lip and Sasuke immediately knew why she came.

"Go ahead," he grunted and held in a sigh. He glanced down at his meal and told himself that he had made the right choice…or at least he hoped he did.

Meanwhile, with Sasuke's approval, Sakura began ranting about Lee and all the disturbing details about their relationship that no healthy person would have wanted to know. However, being a great not-so-active listener, Sasuke simply grunted from time to time, just to seem attentive as he ate his supper. Over the years, the raven's status had gone from not-very-secret crush to free weekly therapy sessions. Somehow, there seemed to be something therapeutic about an emotionless brick that did nothing but nod. The only pros were that he never interrupted and only ate as she complained about her life in general, but more specifically her boyfriend.

"…and he keeps hanging out with Gai-sensei and coming home with weirder outfits…"

Sasuke took another scoop of a mashed substance he suspected were potatoes and continued to hope his blond guest could cook. Ordering food was too much of a hassle and he was getting tired of eating the same things every day. The raven shook his head at his predicament and grabbed his glass to take another gulp of juice when he suddenly noticed the silence. He quickly glanced over at Sakura and noticed the latter's green eyes tearing up.

"Shit" he muttered and immediately put his glass down. He shifted uncomfortably in his seat, but the quiet kept stretching on. He didn't really know what to do and so settled with helplessly staring at her.

Finally, Sakura heaved a sigh and rubbed at her face.

"Thanks, Sasuke-kun," she said and the raven wondered why she was thanking him. "You always listen despite how much I rant."

Sasuke winced at that, feeling a little guilty because he barely registered any of her complaints. However, as if unaware of his blatant disinterest, Sakura stood up from her chair and gave him a small smile. They said their goodbyes and before long, Sasuke was home alone once more.

However, as he sat back at his dinner table and glanced down at his half-eaten plate, he felt his appetite diminish into nothingness._ 'Who knew Uchihas had feelings,' _he mused ruefully and wrapped his unfinished meal up before placing it within the fridge. He then walked back to the bathroom attached to his room and took a shower. He would be waking up early to inform the blond fox demon of their living arrangements and would hopefully have some time to raid the Uchiha archieves. Information on the Kyuubi was scarce, but surely the raven clan would have kept a few well-hidden scrolls.

* * *

Naruto's lashes softly fluttered open and his blue eyes took in a blur of pink…and more pink. He frowned in confusion and tried blinking, but his vision was still as rose-colored as it was before. His senses were slowly coming back and he tried moving his hand when the pink suddenly turned into green. He immediately jerked back at the unexpected color change and felt his sore muscles stiffen at the brusque movement.

"Oh, you're awake!" a soft feminine voice gasped and he finally took in the sight of a pink-haired nurse with green eyes staring curiously back at him.

He heaved a sigh and weakly smiled at her in response. He then opened his mouth to speak when a rough cough wracked his frame. He wheezed at the sudden movement and was immediately handed a glass of water. He gratefully grabbed it and gulped the liquid down before handing the glass back. The medic-nin placed it on a nearby table and smiled.

"My name's Sakura," she greeted and picked up his charts from a slot near the bed. She then took out a thermometer and roughly stuck it into his mouth. "You're Naruto-kun, right?"

The fox winced at her brute force, but nodded in answer to her question. She grinned at him in return and walked over to the room's window, pulling the curtains open. Meanwhile, Naruto glanced around the unfamiliar white hospital room and tried recalling the past day's events. So much had happened in such a short time, but all he could feel was relief. He found comfort in knowing he had succeeded in escaping.

Suddenly, a beeping sound filled the room and the fox was startled from his thoughts. Beside him, Sakura grinned and glanced down at the thermometer.

"Alright, no fever," she grinned and slapped him on the back. Naruto coughed at the hard tap, but otherwise stayed quiet as the nurse did her job.

As Sakura picked his chart back up from the table and scribbled down some notes, Naruto took the time to take in more of his surroundings. He noted that he had a room all to himself and that he was no longer shackled to the bed. The room was as plain as the last one he had woken up in, but he didn't mind. Anything beat being unconscious on cold rough surfaces in an underground laboratory. He shivered as he remembered flashes of the dark cave-like place he'd run away from.

"All good," Sakura spoke again and Naruto glanced her way. "You're discharged once Sasuke-kun comes to get you."

The blond tried cocking his head to the side, but gave up half way. His body was taking longer than usual to heal.

"Sasuke?" he asked, the name somehow sounding familiar to him.

The nurse blinked. "Have you not been introduced yet?"

"I'm not sure," Naruto frowned in thought. A memory of an expanse of majestic dark wings suddenly popped into his mind and he recalled the two shinobis he had ran into near Konoha's gates. One of them was still blurry in his memory and he only remembered a little growling. The other, however, stayed imprinted in his mind.

"Does he have this…strange hairstyle?" the blond tried gesturing at the back of his head without pulling too hard on his injuries. "You know," he attempted to explain, "kind of like a duck's butt?"

Sakura stared at him, dumbfounded for a second before bursting out in laughter. "D-Duck's b-butt!" she choked out between bursts of giggles while swiping tears from her eyes. "O-Oh god, if Sasuke-kun heard this –"

"If I heard what?" a deep voice came from the door and Sakura quickly stifled her laughter.

Meanwhile, Naruto slowly turned his head towards the entrance and his cerulean blue eyes met with deep onyx orbs.

* * *

**A/N:** In the next chapter, Sasuke and Naruto finally spend time together! With their convenient living arrangements, things are about to get squeal-worthy ;)

Review and Favs are greatly appreciated!


	4. A Pair Too Many

**Author's Notes: **I'd like to thank everyone who left me a comment and who put this story in their favorites. I really appreciate it and I can't thank you enough for the support!

I'd also like to thank "Smiles D" for pointing out that "Uzumaki" meant "whirlpool" and not "maelstrom". I've fixed it, so hopefully the story's more accurate now :)

Anyway, without further ado, here is chapter 4!

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Chapter 4: A Pair Too Many

Sasuke leisurely strolled down Konoha's streets with his usual blank expression. The sun was shining down brightly on the stony pavement and the warmth of the air had many hurrying back to their house or stores. The merchants stayed under the shadows provided by their stalls and fanned themselves as the customers purchased their goods without the usual chatter.

The Uchiha, however, was not bothered in the least. Being accustomed to using fire as his main element, the raven rarely felt the heat anymore. He was, however, more sensitive to cold and needed the aid of a few warming seals to get through night flights. It was a little inconvenient to carry around the seal tags, but the comfort they brought were worth it. He had wondered whether he could find a Seals Master to simplify the hassle, but had not met one yet. After all, there were only so many in the world.

As he continued to trek his way through the thinner than usual crowds of customers and workers, Sasuke began to think about his blond charge; the man who would soon be sharing his home for the next two weeks or so.

He still had a lot to learn about the fox's Kyuubi inheritance and had already paid the Uchiha compound a short visit to raid its libraries of any pertinent content. Of course, he had stayed discreet and was very glad he had not encountered Itachi or any close family members while there. He also had the time to deposit replacement scrolls, in case anyone bothered to check. The Hokage had wanted the Kyuubi's presence to be a secret and the agent would take every precaution.

Sasuke could soon make out the outlines of Konoha's imposing hospital building and slowed his pace. He did not like hospitals due to his numerous stays and tried to delay the inevitable, however childish the thought might be. Before long, he reluctantly trudged through its large doors and made a bee-line for the reception, where a young brunet was furiously scribbling away on various documents with furrowed brows. As he approached her desk, the woman paused in her work and glanced up before giving him a shy smile.

"Hello, what can I do for you?" she uttered in a well-practiced voice.

Sasuke greeted her with a curt nod before grunting a short "Naruto Uzumaki's room" in his usual detached tone. He clearly did not want to be there and glared at the wall on his right.

The brunet blinked at his short instructions before registering his words.

"O-One second please," she stuttered and quickly scanned through a nearby sheet, "room twenty-five on the third floor."

"Hn," he said and briskly left, leaving a slightly baffled receptionist behind.

The raven arrived on the third floor fairly quickly, despite the numerous stairs separating each floor. He passed by many patients and medic-nins, but paid them no mind. He had stayed in the hospital often enough to get used to the bustling of activity it contained within its walls and had no affinity with offering comforting smiles. Instead, he preferred to ignore anything with no direct link to his person.

As he approached the blond's room, he suddenly heard a familiar laugh thrilling down the hallway; the same obnoxiously loud giggles that always brought chills down his spine. Right away, he knew who had been put in charge of the young fox and shivered. It was just his luck that a certain pink-haired nurse had a shift at the same time he'd decided to come visit.

Carefully inching closer to the closed room, he wondered whether he wanted to face his pink-haired almost-friend. He'd refused to visit the hospital for his suggested check-ups and she would surely hound him about his health choices…again.

'_Maybe I should wait it out,'_ he reasoned with himself and conveniently ignored a few pointed stares from other patients and nurses, for he was blocking the hallway. _'I could shunshin in when she leaves,"_ he nodded at his decision and crossed his arms.

Right as he leaned against the wall near the door in preparation for the wait, he heard a loud "d-duck's b-butt!" and bristled. He'd never liked those two words and for a good reason. Ever since he could remember having hair, Itachi had teased him about its natural tendency to spike up at the back. It was also a coincidence that their demon heritage had avian roots.

"Ducks," he grumbled under his breath and clenched his fists. They were unpleasant memories indeed, but he decided to give Sakura the benefit of the doubt. Maybe objects other than his hair resembled…unfortunate things.

He slowly relaxed back into his position at his reasoning when he suddenly heard the mention of his name and froze.

"…if Sasuke-kun heard this –" he immediately bust the door open without another thought and glared.

"If I heard what?"

Inside the room, Sakura stifled her laughter and Sasuke glowered at her anyway. The girl guiltily looked away and drew circles with her foot, pretending to whistle without making a sound. The raven glared at her for a few seconds more, just because he felt like it. He then turned his fuming to the silent blond sitting on the hospital bed before his gaze fell upon enthralling cerulean orbs and silence ensued.

Beside the two men engaged in an impromptu staring contest, Sakura quietly picked up Naruto's charts and signed his discharging papers while drawing a small X where Sasuke was to leave his confirmation. She then silently thrust the sheet into the distracted Uchiha's pocket and walked out the door, the other two none the wiser.

'_Boys,'_ she thought and rolled her eyes. She then shrugged her shoulders and went off to her next patient.

Back in the small hospital room, Sasuke took in the blond's appearance and noticed, for the first time, the two auburn fox ears protruding from his golden strands. Similar to many of the fox tribe, the tips were a shade darker than the rest, but instead of the typical black, Naruto's was a deep crimson red. It made a nice transition of warm colors and Sasuke found them strangely pretty. However, their presence signified something quite telling about the fox's condition and the raven was instantly suspicious.

"Ears," he pointed out and carefully watched as the blond's brows furrowed in confusion. _'So he doesn't know,'_ Sasuke promptly assumed and crossed his arms. _'This might be problematic.'_

Indeed, as a general rule, anyone having gone through their coming of age at sixteen would gain the chakra control to mask their demon traits. Unlike children who were unable to hide their ears or tails and other appendages, adults had a better command over their energy expenses and were able to refrain from wasting chakra over keeping their features out. It was a strange concept, but was reasoned to be a change brought along by human blood. It also conveniently explained why one's use of their demon powers involved a certain degree of strain after too long.

Naruto's ears twitched at Sasuke's intense scrutiny, but he otherwise stayed quiet despite the slight discomfort. Meanwhile, the Uchiha continued to openly glare at the appendages as if personally offended by them. He simply did not know what to make of them.

The fox seemed to be his age and yet he did not have control over his demon traits. It was almost unheard of, especially within those of shinobi ranks, which Sasuke assumed the man was. If not for his charge's impressive constraints over his Kyuubi induced killing intent during their first encounter, the simple knowledge of his relation with the Subakus nearly guaranteed ninja training. The well-known racoon demons were famed for their strict educational system and it was very unlikely that any pseudo family members would be exempt from it.

Back to the problem at hand, however, Sasuke was having a hard time understanding the blond's predicament and was internally debating whether the fox would be of any use in their search for the snake bastard, otherwise known as Orochimaru. Being unable to mask one's ears meant abysmal chakra control, which in turn implied weak jutsus. _'Maybe he excels at taijutsu,'_ the raven supplied and glared harder at the fox ears when a small cough interrupted his thoughts. He blinked and glanced towards its source and into curious blue eyes.

"Is something wrong?" Naruto ventured to ask with uncertainty laced into his voice.

He was quite used to being stared at, seen his unusual coloring and the lack of fox demons in Suna. There was also the fact that Gaara's favorite hobby was to glare at anything within sight, but even _that _bothered him less than the raven currently drilling a hole through his skull. His crimson-tipped ears twitched again when the other man diverted his intense gaze to a nearby wall.

"Hn," Sasuke grunted and uncrossed his arms. He then reached into his leg pouch and pulled out a scroll, automatically handing the object to the blond. He had decided to analyze the situation later when he found more time. _'Or ask Hokage-sama,' _he added in his mind.

Naruto stared at the offered scroll for a second before taking it. He was quite used to receiving one syllable answers, but meeting someone as taciturn as Gaara was quite rare. He shrugged off his surprise after a while and swiftly opened the letter.

As he scanned its content, he soon learned of his future stay at the Uchiha's home and paused at the particular family name._ 'A raven,' _he deduced and remembered a striking expanse of dark feathers. Despite having lived his whole life in the Land of Wind, important clans such as the Uchiha were famous worldwide. Not only did they possess their respective demon powers, but their human blood also provided their members with additional skills that many revered.

'_Sharingans,' _Naruto recalled from his readings and glanced up at the quiet raven staring blankly at the wall ahead. His eyes were currently as dark as onyx, but the fox knew from memory the beautiful crimson red they turned when activated. _'The snake would have killed for them,'_ he remarked in his head and frowned when he remembered his stay in the criminal's dark underground lab. The thought made him shiver and he quickly got back to skimming through the scroll's instructions.

Sasuke carried on his senseless wall-glaring activities for a while longer, but soon got bored of staring at plain white and the occasional specks of beige. With a nonchalant quality to his move, he turned his gaze back towards the fox once more and immediately noted the contemplative look on the latter's face.

"I'm sorry for the inconvenience," the words fell out of the blond's lips and Sasuke quirked an eyebrow at the sincerity in the other's voice.

"No problem," he answered in a curt tone, somewhat feeling obliged to say more than his usual grunt.

Naruto looked up at his future host and took in the inquisitive glint shining through his dark eyes. The latter stood at a fairly tall height and was unusually pale despite Konoha's abundance in warm seasons. His hair also happened to be shaped like a duck's bottom, but had a nice flair to its style that the fox found strangely cute. The thought of petting the soft-looking spikes soon entered his mind and a smile curled his lips.

Sasuke narrowed his eyes at the innocent grin forming on the blond's face. People never smiled in his presence…unless it meant something bad, such as being offered hideous green one-pieces. His shoulders stiffened when the fox's expression suddenly hardened and he readied himself for the unexpected.

"What happened to your partner?"

The raven faltered in his stance and stared blankly back at the fox in confusion.

"You know," Naruto clarified with a little difficulty. He only remembered claws and growling, "The dog-like one."

Thoughts of Kiba getting tossed into the deep woods as easily as a rag entered Sasuke's mind and he cringed at the memory. "Badly injured, but recovering," he answered the fox and watched the other man's expression fall.

"I'm sorry," Naruto softly muttered and looked down at his bandaged hands.

He looked so remorseful and crestfallen that the raven almost felt a little sorry for the fox. However, being an Uchiha, he refused to let his emotions show and stayed stoic despite the small tinge of sadness he felt. Being reminded that his almost-friend was badly wounded did not exactly bring up his sour mood.

"You should apologize to Kiba yourself," he said instead in a neutral voice. "He should be accepting visits in a week or so."

The blond nodded at that and took a deep breath. Sasuke watched as the other collected himself and waited until the fox's bright blue eyes gazed back into his direction.

"Ready to go?" he grunted in his usual tone and the other nodded again.

Naruto shifted to stand up and slightly winced when it pulled at his injuries. He didn't remember too much about that fateful night, but he knew that he'd lost control over his powers. It had never happened before, but he always knew how unusually large his chakra reserves were. _'Later,'_ he thought and decided to mull his condition another time.

As the fox stood up with a little difficulty, the bed covers slowly pooled down to his feet along with a few loose bandages. Dark onyx eyes widened at the sight of the lightly muscled body with a slight pale complexion. The blond stood at about the same height as himself and had a well-build stature made for combat. As the raven noted these observations, he unexpectedly felt his cheeks tinge pink and immediately averted his gaze, coughing into his fist.

"I'll get you some clothes," Sasuke declared and pivoted his steps towards the door, which he opened with one sharp tug.

* * *

"You said you could cook," Sasuke grumbled and glared at Naruto as the blond walked over from the kitchen to the dinner table.

"I did," the blond huffed and slammed a bowl of noodles down in front of the scowling raven.

"Ramen isn't food," the Uchiha objected, but picked up his chopsticks anyway.

Naruto gasped and moved the bowl away from the raven, broth sloshing to the rim without spilling out.

"Ramen is food for the gods, you mortal!"

Sasuke snorted and tried sneaking some noodles from the bowl without any success. He was hungry and didn't feel like arguing with the idiot anymore.

"Hn, fine," he relented and was rewarded with warm ramen, which he dug in right away.

The blond rolled his eyes at his host clearly savoring the flavor of the noodles and sat down in his own chair. Some people just couldn't speak their minds out properly, he thought with a shake of his head. He _knew_ he made good ramen and by the way the raven subtlety gulped the food down with haste only proved his unsaid point.

Puffing his chest with pride, the fox ate his supper and savored the rich taste. It may have been a simple miso flavored ramen with chicken, but it was worth the hassle of dragging the raven shopping.

Sasuke's fridge had been barren when Naruto had first entered and no matter how great tomatoes were, the fox could not imagine himself surviving on it for days on end. It took some convincing, but the Uchiha had eventually relented and brought the fox to the local market. It was near the end of the day and most stalls had already closed their business. However, a few vegetable and fruit merchants still had their remaining produce out for a last call, though most customers had already gone home for supper.

It took mere minutes to gather the needed ingredients and the next moment, Naruto was busying himself in the kitchen, engrossed in a treasure hunt for cooking equipment. Sasuke tried helping, not without some verbal initiative, and the two finally completed the task.

Naruto slurped the last of the noodles and settled back in his chair with a happy sigh. On the other end, Sasuke rolled his eyes and picked up his dishes. He made his way over to the blond and grabbed the latter's finished bowl and chopsticks, putting the whole into the sink once he reached it.

The cleaning task went by quickly and the raven wiped his hands with a black clothes marked with a red and white fan. He then glanced up at the wooden clock hanging on his kitchen wall and noted the time.

"It's getting late," he grunted nonchalantly and gazed over at the blond slouched against his living room couch.

Naruto blinked and turned his head towards the other man, "Time to sleep?"

"Hn," was all he got and the Uchiha let him to the guest room situated down the small hallway. The room was painted in neutral colors and had a simple square-shaped window at the end. Soft flowing curtains framed the glass and a decent-sized bed occupied most of the space.

Naruto entered the room and glanced around with slight wonder. It had been a while since he'd last been in as bare a room. Being a very colorful person himself, he usually made sure to have at least a few orange-tinted articles lying around. It seemed he would need to refurnish, he thought as a grin curled his lips.

Sasuke noticed the mischievous smile stretched across the blond's face and decided to ignore it. He walked into the guest room and grabbed a pair of simple pyjamas he had folded and left on top of a drawer before the fox's arrival.

"Here," he handed the clothes over and directed the blond to the washroom beside to the guest room. The blond opened his mouth to say something, but Sasuke closed the door on him before he could utter a sound.

Smirking at nothing in particular, the raven made his way back to his room to get ready for the night.

* * *

**A/N: **I can tell you now that their night is far from over. Things are always quite eventful when those two are involved ;)

**In any case, reviews and favorites make my day!**


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